There is no shortage of ways to discover the many different facets of the New Mexico culture and heritage. Visiting one of our many museums or cultural centers will bring the past alive and offer insight into our traditions. At local events such as art fairs, music festivals or Indian dances you'll rub shoulders with our locals and understand what makes our city tick. You can take excursions to see ancient cliff dwellings or petroglyphs that may take only hours out of your day, but introduce you to a millennia of history. New Mexico's lands are full of discoveries: fascinating cultures, extraordinary landscapes, intriguing ruins, recreational opportunities, and arts and crafts made by people proud of their legacies and traditions.The history, architecture and art of New Mexico have strong roots in the culture brought by settlers from Spain, and continue to be influenced by immigrants from Mexico and Latin America. Latino and Hispanic culture and customs have a major presence everywhere in our city, from street names to adobe architecture to arts, dance and music.
A prime example of Hispanic influence is found at historic Old Town, where adobe buildings surround a central plaza, a common feature of Spanish colonial towns. Anchoring the plaza is the San Felipe de Neri church. Built in 1793, the San Felipe de Neri church is the oldest building in the city and the third oldest Hispanic church in New Mexico. Old Town Plaza and the church are the center of many Hispanic traditions in Albuquerque, including the San Felipe Fiestas held each year at the end of May and early June. A procession of the patron saint is part of the three days of entertainment, food and festivities.
Another one of the long-held Hispanic traditions is setting up luminarias, sometimes called farolitos, on Christmas Eve in Old Town Plaza followed by midnight mass at San Felipe de Neri Church. A traditional luminaria is a brown paper bag, weighted by sand, with a lit votive candle inside. If you visit Albuquerque in December, don't miss the Luminaria Tour on Christmas Eve where hundreds of people wander through the golden glow of thousands of twinkling paper lanterns in Old Town and the surrounding neighborhoods.Early tin art included nichos (niches), often glass-framed boxes, to hold and protect the small bultos. Tin art, sometimes called "poor man's silver," soon entered into homes as frames for the colorful prints of saints that arrived with French and Italian priests who were settling here. Tin was also used as frames for mirrors which
common as the territory of New Mexico saw increasing trade with the United States. Tin art had a revival in the 1930s after the United States Army occupied New Mexico in 1846. Along with the appearance of imported tin cans in the mid-1800s, European prints framed in tin came into vogue. Until 1890, when commercial picture frames began to replace tin frames and coal and gas lighting replaced the need for candle holders, tin artists made tinwork for pennies that today sells for thousands. were becoming more
When listening to music or enjoying dance performances in Albuquerque, you'll often find an unmistakable Hispanic and Latino influence. You'll find plenty of salsa, mariachi, flamenco and Spanish classical performances throughout the city. Don't miss the largest Flamenco Festival in North America, Festival Flamenco International de Albuquerque, showcasing the finest flamenco artists in the world. This exciting summer tradition celebrates flamenco, the ancient form of artistic expression of the Spanish-Gypsy culture. The festival covers all aspects of flamenco dance, guitar, percussion and song, and is famous for its thrilling, full-house performances.
At the annual Mariachi Spectacular Showcase, enjoy traditional mariachi music featuring the world's finest and most accomplished mariachi musicians. Key features of this spectacular event include the Mariachi Showcase Concert, the Mariachi Spectacular Concert and fantastic Mariachi Plaza programming, held downtown at the Civic Plaza every summer. Feel the sounds of the guitarones, violins and trumpets as they fill the air with vibrant rhythms and lush melodies. Check our events page for more details.
Finally, anyone interested in the Hispanic heritage of our city and state should make sure to visit the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC), the only national cultural institute dedicated to the study, advancement and presentation of Hispanic culture arts and humanities. Since its grand opening in Albuquerque in 2000, the NHCC has staged over 20 art exhibitions and 400 programs in the visual, performing and literary arts. Programs have featured local, national and international artists, scholars and entertainers. The NHCC provides venues for visitors to learn about Hispanic culture throughout the world and is a resource not to be missed.For over 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples occupied a vast region of the south-western United States. Chaco Canyon, a major centre of ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, was a focus for ceremonials, trade and political activity for the prehistoric Four Corners area. Chaco is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings and its distinctive architecture – it has an ancient urban ceremonial centre that is unlike anything constructed before or since. In addition to the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the World Heritage property includes the Aztec Ruins National Monument and several smaller Chaco sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Statement of Significance
The Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the associated sites at Aztec Ruins National Monument and five Chaco Culture Archeological Protection Sites are outstanding elements of a vast pre-Columbian cultural complex that dominated much of the south-western United States in the mid-9th to early 13th centuries. Chaco Canyon, a major center of ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, was a focus for ceremonies, trade and political activity. Chaco is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings and its distinctive multi-storey “greathouses” which demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of astronomical phenomena. They are linked by an elaborate system of carefully engineered and constructed roads. The achievements of the Chaco Anasazi people are exceptional, given the harsh environmental conditions and resource limitations of the region.
Criterion (iii) The Chaco Canyon sites graphically illustrate the architectural and engineering achievements of the Chaco Anasazi people, who overcame the harshness of the environment of the south-western United States to found a culture that dominated the area for more than four centuries.
Living Portraits of New Mexico Artists & Writers is a series of short films. The films feature interviews with the artists, examples of their work, and footage of places and activities important to their lives. A discussion guide accompanies each film to assist teachers and others in fully considering the issues raised in the films. The films will be distributed to schools and libraries throughout New Mexico as DVDs and VHS videotapes.
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